Yamaha Corp

Yamaha Corp. of America plans to introduce two new product lines today that it says highlight its growing expertise in using computer technology to more accurately reproduce sound. The more innovative product to be introduced by the Buena Park-based company is a synthesizer for music aficionados that uses virtual acoustics, or the use of complex mathematical computer models to simulate and reproduce sound.

Yamaha Motor Corp. is suing two distributors of motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles and a dealership, accusing them of violating its copyright and trademark rights by selling Chinese-made knockoffs of Yamaha-brand vehicles. The complaint was filed this week in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles against Yamoto Motor Corp., Patriot Motorcycles Corp. and Family Motor Sports Inc.

A $300,000 donation from Taco Bell has been given to the Orange County Performing Arts Center campaign. The donation was presented by John Martin, president of the Irvine subsidiary of Pepsico Inc. Michael and Carole Gilano of Newport Beach have contributed $100,000. Michael Gilano is founder and president of Trillion, a telecommunications company in Irvine. Nine pianos have been donated to the Center by Yamaha International Corp.

Talk about streetwear. Tommy Hilfiger, the fashion designer best known for his eponymous red, white and blue logo, is lending his name and signature to four limited-edition Yamaha motorcycles in honor of Father's Day. "Motorcycles are more popular than ever before, and sport motorcycles are attracting an increasing number of young male riders who are big fans of Tommy Hilfiger clothing," said Bob Starr, Yamaha Motor Corp.'s national communications manager.

This letter is for the irresponsible person or persons who felt it was all right to dump a family of tame rats in a Cypress field next to the Yamaha Corp. on Katella Avenue on June 29 or 30. Did you think these innocent creatures would find happiness and freedom in the "wilds" of an industrial field? Did you perhaps think they would find food and water and did you think the cage you left behind would give them protection from the hot sun? Did you think the old coat and towel they huddled under would provide protection from the field cats that wander at night?

The new year isn't even here yet, but already the folks at Buena Park-based Yamaha Corp. of America are thinking about what people will want to do with the computers they receive as holiday gifts. Yamaha hopes they'll play games. Really loud games. Yamaha, which is trying to make a name for itself in the computer speakers market, hopes people will want to upgrade their computers' generally substandard speakers.

The Gildred Development Co. had some extra warehouse space two years ago so the company decided to let the city use the space to store props and sets for theater productions. Because of Gildred's donation, the city's Fine Arts Commission has chosen the company to receive the Elva Liesch Hughes Laureate of the Arts Award. The award is given each year to an organization that has contributed exceptional service to the arts.

Taylor Made Golf Co., a Carlsbad manufacturer of golf equipment and accessories, has chosen Costa Mesa ad agency Salvati Montgomery Sakoda to handle its $5.2-million account. For the past three years the account had been with Venice's famed Chiat/Day, but that agency was not among the finalists this year. Taylor Made's marketing vice president, George Montgomery, said the parting with Chiat/Day was amicable.

An airliner with 155 people on board disappeared over the Amazon jungle Friday, and a mayor said it had crashed on a farm in the municipality of Peixoto de Azevedo. Other authorities did not immediately confirm the mayor's report. Gol Flight 1907 was traveling from the Amazon city of Manaus toward the capital, Brasilia, when it disappeared from radar, the company said. It was to have continued on to Rio de Janeiro.